Tuesday, 16 February, 2016

Tonight we are proud to present pianist and composer Simon Purcell along with most of the line-up from his recent album Red Circle, with the addition of bassist Amy Baldwin.
"Red Circle is the debut Whirlwind Recordings release from international acclaimed pianist and educator Simon Purcell, currently the Head of Jazz at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Dance and Music in London. Purcell originally came to prominence during the UK jazz boom of the 1980s through his band “Jazz Train” (with Martin Speake, Cleveland Watkiss, Dale Barlow et al), a quartet with Julian Arguelles (Loose Tubes), numerous appearances with or opposite visiting American artists at London’s Bass Clef Club and occasional weeks at Ronnie Scott’s. As a passionate educator and thinker about music, Simon’s musicianship increasingly served educational ends, contributing to the development of jazz education in the UK (awarded Jazz Educator of the Year by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group). Now after nearly three decades of teaching in London’s top conservatoires, this long overdue album marks Simon’s return to a more active performing career. Purcell’s band is comprised of some of the most important contributors to the UK’s creative music scene during the last two decades. They’re also a bunch of old friends with years of playing experience, and in this spirit the music was recorded in one room with no real isolation between instruments, giving the album a ‘live date’ feeling.. Gene Calderazzo (Partisans, Pharoah Sanders, Joey Calderazzo, Zoe Rahman), Julian Siegel (Partisans, Joey Barron, Kenny Wheeler, Django Bates, John Taylor) and Chris Batchelor (Big Air, Loose Tubes, Brotherhood of Breath, Hermeto Pascoal) are robust and individual musical personalities providing conceptual counterpoint that ensures the music-making is always more than the sum of the parts. As a result, the intention behind the material (all by Purcell) is less about complex themes, instead providing attractive contexts for improvisation where these artists can masterfully stretch out." - whirlwindrecordings.com

Welcome to the EAST SIDE JAZZ CLUB East London's premier jazz venue hosted Tuesday evenings by drummer Clive Fenner upstairs at Leytonstone Ex-Servicemen's Club. The Music Room has its own bar with Real Ale. All gigs are cash on the door - no membership or reservations.

"Resident drummer Fenner kicks in the hard driving swing to make this a 'pick up' band in a class of its own" - Time Out

Coming Soon

Where we are

The club is situated off Leytonstone High Road behind the Red Lion. Leytonstone tube (turn left out of the booking hall) and bus station are very close by. Leytonstone High Road station (Overground) is 10 minutes walk away.

Served by the following buses: 66, 145, 257, 339, W13, W14, W15, W16, W19 and N8

t: 020 8989 8129

e-mail: eastsidejazzclub@gmail.com

Map

East Side Jazz Club on Facebook

The Clive Fenner Quartet live at the East Side July 2012

Midnight Voyage full version on the CD "Get it!" Jazzizit Records 2012

Bobby Wellins - In Your Own Sweet Way

Mark Murphy

Quotes

"This place is like a Hogarth print!" - Alan Barnes

"Yet another great evening at The East Side Jazz Club, in Leytonstone. Clive Fenner, seems to have an unerring ability to provide top quality British jazz and long may he continue to do so. This has to be, one of the friendliest jazz clubs, I have had the pleasure to attend and one of the best value bars. Thanks to all concerned, for your hard work, behind the scenes, best wishes from Camberwell Green" - Mark Blewer

"Special mention must be made of Clive Fenner, the resident drummer. I can’t imagine the levels of experience, skill and confidence his role, as an accompanist to the weekly changing cast of visitors, must require." - downwithit.info blog

"..this consistently classy east London jazz night.." - Time Out

"..musician-led weekly gig where the feeling of community is very strong. Drummer Clive Fenner’s Leytonstone gig once included one of the legends of jazz – and I heard him for just £5. Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, originally from Canada, is one of the most original and respected jazz trumpet voices in the world. He recently had a high-profile festival in New York take place in his honour and his compositions are played all over the world" - Sebastian Scotney, LondonJazz

"A bit of an institution this; The East Side Jazz Club has been taking over the Lord Rookwood since time began almost, and is still regarded as one of the best jazz nights in the East End...A great night in a very friendly little pub!" - Spoonfed.co.uk

"Another inspired off-piste line up for this East London jazz hotspot.." - Time Out

"This excellent east London session returns with a bang" - Time Out

"..and last, but not least, our resident drummer, fixer and M.C., Clive Fenner, how lucky we are to have Clive looking after our musical interests. He provides us with a never ending stream of quality British jazz, in the welcoming environment of The Leytonstone Ex-Servicemen's Club. My thanks to Clive, for his tasteful interjections from the drum chair and all the hard work he does behind the scenes. Talking of which, a shout out to all of those club members, who magically move chairs and tables from one place to another and all the other things that happen, just leaving us to have another great evening in good company. Thanks to you all for all your hard work, it is appreciated." - Mark Blewer, jazz aficionado and club regular

Photographs

Many of the photographs reproduced on this page appear with the kind permission of top photographer Brian O'Connor. His website includes an incredible array of jazz performers caught in the moment and is well worth a visit.Similar acknowledgement is due to ace snapper Richard Kaby who's superb work frequently appears on this page. Richard's massive archive is here.Thanks Brian and Richard for your generosity.

For some years our very own resident lensman Brian Browning has been accumulating a considerable body of work, many shot in the old club, a somewhat challenging photographic environment what with the red lights and rather prominent toilet signs.Sadly, Brian passed away in October 2016. His framed photographs which hang in the club provide a lasting memorial to his enthusiasm and a reminder to his many friends of how much we miss him.

Brian Browning

Dave Green

Jonathan Gee

Martin Hathaway

Mark Ridout

Geoff Gascoyne

Ross Stanley

Tim Thornton

Reuben James

Anthony Kerr

John Critchinson

Alec Dankworth

Steve Melling

Mark Hodgson

Kit Downes

Ian Thomas

Yutaka Shiina

Martin Zenker

Pinise Saul

Adam Glasser

Jason Yarde

Chris Batchelor

Harry Brown

Heard this one?

Saxophone ace Alan Barnes tells this lovely story about being on tour with Glaswegian trumpeter Bruce Adams. As you know, touring conditions are not good, staying at B&Bs of varying quality, and sometimes even sharing a double bed. Alan found out that after the gigs, Bruce would take him drinking until the early hours. This wasn't so much of a problem, but Alan wasn't getting much sleep as the only thing that Bruce did louder than play the trumpet was to snore.

After about a week, Alan decided he needed his sleep. He slipped away early from the drinking, and went to bed. The room was so small that the two single beds were pushed next to each other, but at least it wasn't a double. At about 2am he was briefly woken by Bruce returning, but fell asleep again almost immediately. At about 4am Alan awoke again, to find that somehow he had rolled over and was lying on top of Bruce, nose-to-nose. At this moment Bruce woke up and said ..."Sorry son... I've got a headache".